Nigeria has been losing about 44,000 barrels of crude oil daily since Saturday following shutdown of Odidi and Batan oil flow stations by protesting youths in some Delta oil-producing communities.

The flow stations remained shut as of Sunday evening, it was gathered.

Aggrieved youths from Odidi/Kantu and Diebiri-Batan communities in Warri South West Local Government Areas are protesting against alleged nonpayment of bills owed the host communities by major oil-producing companies.

Our correspondent gathered that the protesting youths had vowed that the station would remain shut until the operator, Neconde Energy Limited, had cleared all bills owed the host communities.

Placard-carring protesting women in Odidi community, decked in black attire, marched in the heavy rain on Saturday, chanting Ijaw songs demanding for justice.

Spokesperson for the Diebiri Batan community, Mr Peter Dio, insisted that Batan flow station would remain shut until the alleged debts owed the community were cleared.

He accused Neconde Energy Limited of reneging on its agreements with the community.

Neconde had in a recent advertorial said it had continued to carry the communities along in its operations.

It said that community- related contracts for various services within the asset currently stood at N604m monthly and N7.3bn annually.

Punch